Displaced Children Explore Careers, Gain Skills in Kyiv

As Ukraine rebuilds, nurturing the next generation is as vital as restoring its infrastructure. Across Kyiv, new initiatives are helping children from war-affected areas envision — and equip themselves for — a future beyond the war.

Among them are five children from the Belitska family, whom Kyiv Post found sketching together. Their parents, Larysa and Serhii, are raising 10 children — four boys and six girls. Two are their biological children; the rest are fostered.

"The boys are Slavik, Andrii, Zhenya and Bogdan. They are all of different ages and have their own personalities. The girls stick together, they’re all close in age. Vika, Alena, Lisa, Elina, Valeria, and Eva. Our eldest son, my biological child, is fighting in the Pokrovsk direction in the 32nd brigade. He is 26 years old. From our hometown, Pokrovsk – almost nothing remains, not a single whole house," Belitska told Kyiv Post.

Originally from the Donbas region, the family fled abroad after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, but they’ve since returned and settled down in Kyiv. "It's harder abroad,” Larysa said. “Here, we feel at home."

In Ukraine, Larysa’s younger children are now being given the chance to look ahead — toward careers and futures they can shape on their own terms.

Last week, Kyiv Post visited one of several events organized under the “Platform for the Future Profession,” a career exploration initiative launched by the Kateryna Osadcha Foundation, the Ukrainian Ministry of Economy, and several private companies.

"More than 4,000 children have already tried their hand at various professions thanks to this initiative,” Kateryna Osadcha said. “Our goal is to expand the project and bring in more businesses willing to open their doors to schoolchildren.”

And the initiative aligns with national priorities. Children are introduced to in-demand fields such as IT, logistics, agriculture, green energy and entrepreneurship – sectors that are vital to Ukraine’s post-war recovery.

Thousands of children across Ukraine have already taken part in career guidance programs — from aptitude tests and hands-on masterclasses to meetings with industry professionals and visits to real workplaces, where they can explore potential career paths up close.

"I always tell my children – I may see you in this or that profession, but I want you to decide for yourself, and go to the field that you like,” Belitska said, whose daughter recently graduated from a pedagogical university.